Forgiven Hope
by Alastair Seki
Summary: Late night dreams lead to harsh realities. That aren't so harsh in truth... Spoilers for Ch. 181 and on, focuses on Ch. 233. 'Nother psyche thing. R&R, please!


Here's another Naruto piece. Can you tell I like this manga?

Disclaimer: Not mine. Now go on and read so I can continue to plot my violent takeover of the world.

vv

Hey, dobe.

Hey, teme.

Been a while, hasn't it?

You're tellin' me!

How've you been?

Good, mostly, though training's always hard. What about you?

Same as you, I guess. The training's definitely killer.

So, you get any stronger?

Yeah. You?

Tchah. What d'ya think? I've been getting stronger ever since back then!

Oh, really?

Yeah, really!

… Wanna prove it?

Bring it on!

vvvvv

And that's when he wakes up. For hours after, he stares up at the ceiling in the dark, seeing shadows from the past dancing across the tiles. And he wonders. Will it be like that? Will we talk as normally as that? … As if nothing has happened?

No. He knows it won't be like that. He knows he's changed too much, or maybe not enough. He knows that _that person_ will not forgive so easily… no matter how much he wishes for forgiveness. And he knows he doesn't deserve it, not in a million years, not for what he's done.

He hurt him. Back then, in body, and in mind, he had wounded him. First he had attacked his spirit, his heart, and then his physical form. And yet… and yet, he couldn't end it. He had wanted to, for one split second. He had really wanted to finish him.

But then he had glanced down at his face, wet from the rain and the waterfall. The memories came, unbidden, then. The pain hit as well. They had both been so strong that he had dropped to his hands and knees, which only brought the focus of his mind that much closer. Close enough that he could see the dings and scratches on the metal headband that never left his forehead. Close enough to see he had none of the scratches or wounds that should have been present on his face. He never even thought to pick up his own headband that was lying there on the rocky ground, deeply etched.

In that moment he remembered all the times they had spent together, all the missions, all the hours training, and all the days off that they had spent in each other's company. And so he couldn't do it. He couldn't believe that he had even _thought_ about ending him, let alone actually do it. But he knew. He _knew_. He _had_ thought about it, if only for an instant. He had let himself be taken by the darkness, the hate. And he hates himself for it.

He knew then, and he still knows now. And he will never, _never_ forgive himself. No matter how much he wants to completely erase that one second of thought.

He knows that he will never be able to go back, he's known since he first made his choice. But that doesn't mean that he doesn't hope. It's a funny thing, hope. It has wormed its way into his mind and lifts his spirit even as it turns his stomach. His heart may hope, but his gut tells him it can never be true. No matter how much he wants it to be.

But there's one thing he doesn't know, as he ponders there in the dark. He has already been forgiven. From the very moment that he committed what he knows to be his greatest sin, he was already forgiven. Because that is what _his_ greatest gift is, the ability, without any words, to completely understand and tightly bond with anyone, no matter what.

Though he does not expect to ever receive the forgiveness he desperately hopes for, the person he hurt has already given it. For _he_ has always been one to exceed expectations.

vv

vv

vv

Woah. 00 00 Where did _that_ come from? I'll tell you where… the first line! I was just minding my own business, when Sasuke's voice pops into my head saying: "Hey, dobe." … To Naruto, of course. So, I decided to start typing out a conversation between the two. And look what happened! That! … Sheesh.

So, what do you think, should I let my subconscious run rampant more often? Or should I be searching for an invisible leash? (Of course, I did go back and check it over and make one or fifty changes so that everything meshed a little better…) The only way to let me know is with that little purple button! Nudge, nudge, wink, wink…


End file.
